


Love Actually

by byeolbit



Category: K.A.R.D (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, F/F, barista somin, rj jiwoo, slowburn romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-23
Updated: 2019-10-23
Packaged: 2020-12-31 16:44:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,118
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21148928
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/byeolbit/pseuds/byeolbit
Summary: Four ways Somin could have fallen in love with Jiwoo in alternate universes and the one way she finally does.Love is the pleasant breeze that leaves a chill down your spineLove is the blooming of the first flower in springLove is the soporific thud of raindrops against your windowLove is the slow descent of a golden leaf in fallLove actually,Love is all the ways we never fell and much more





	Love Actually

_ Love is the pleasant breeze that leaves a chill down your spine _

It all starts in February. Winter is ebbing away though the cold persists. There is still a chill in the air which causes people to bundle up whenever they step outside. Students file out of the university as the day ends, a majority making their way home. A smaller number however deviates off the well beaten path, venturing out to the new cafe that has opened on the street across the subway station. 

Kim Matthew happens to be one of them. His footsteps are light as he hurries over to the cafe. Having forgotten his mittens, he is grateful for the warmth that the cafe offers. Not wasting any time, he hurries over to the woman at the counter, making expressos and lattes as customers file in.

"Somin, I have news for you!" he says excitedly, disturbing the customers waiting in line for their orders. 

"Matthew!" Somin reprimands as he offers an apologetic look to the old lady waiting for her cappuccino. 

"Sorry" Matthew apologises sheepishly. His apology is genuine but somewhat rushed in his excitement to tell Somin something. Somin can barely hazard a guess at what it might be. Kim Matthew is as random as they come. However she does sense the magnitude of the news by his excitement and comes up with an alternative solution. 

"I'll have my break in 20 minutes. Wait for me till then" she tells the elder boy. Matthew protests but cowers under the gaze of the scary manager and so he slinks away to find a table, walking like a puppy with his tail between his legs. Somin shakes her head, accustomed to this side of Matthew.

Matthew plugs in his iPod and listens to music to while away the time. The view from the cafe is good. He can see a varied range of stores on the other side of the road. The windows and doors are outlined by the gentle frost that still remains despite the time of the year. The trees are bare but Matthew can imagine them blossoming soon. Spring should be on it's way by now. 

The aroma of warm fruitcake distracts him and he finds Somin setting a slice of it down for him as apology for making him wait. Matthew smiles and for a while Somin can almost pinch his cheeks, but refrains from doing so.

"You have 5 minutes. What did you want to tell me?" Somin asks, getting to the point. Her break is short and she does not want to toe the line with his manager. 

"Did you know that our college has its own radio show?" Matthew asks Somin. Somin shakes her head, slightly surprised. 

"Well they do" Matthew tells her. "And they broadcast it online on the college website on Friday evenings from 7 to 8." 

"Good for them, but what about it Matthew?" Somin asks curiously. 

"Well, turns out that they are looking for a new RJ. Someone with a nice sounding voice and good communication skill and good taste in music. It also pays so I signed you up for it" Matthew tells her with a proud smile.

"What?" Somin asks, shocked. "Why would you do that?" she demands to know. 

"Well, didn't you want to get a second job? Plus this is on campus and it pays a decent amount. I thought you would be interested" Matthew explains. 

"I can't host radio shows! You know I don't like public speaking and being an RJ is speaking to like thousand people at once!" Somin protests. 

"The radio show doesn't have a thousand people as it's audience! It just started out last year. Like some 30 or 40 people listen to it" Matthew argues. 

"That doesn't help!" Somin protests. 

The manager signals to Somin, indicating her break is up and that he is required at the counter again. 

"Damn it. I have to go. But this is crazy Matthew" Somin says getting up. 

"Just give it a shot! There's no harm in trying. Besides many more people would apply so you might not even get selected. There's nothing to worry about" Matthew insists. 

"I don't even listen to the broadcasts. I am going to look dumb!" Somin protests. 

"All their broadcasts are online! Listen to it some time. I'll give you the link. In fact, there is one tonight since it's a Friday. Listen to it live okay?" Matthew tells him. Before Somin can protest, Matthew starts writing down details in his notebook and tears the page out. 

"One shot please?" Matthew asks, making puppy dog eyes at him. Somin relents only because her manager is glaring at her. It's not a confirmed yes but it's enough for Matthew now.

Somin’s anger and confusion doesn’t last for long. Matthew leaves for his next class but then her favourite customer walks in.

Jeon Jiwoo is usually dressed in all black and a lot of bling. She’s a regular at the cafe from what the other baristas tell her and on Fridays, she comes in during Somin’s shift.

“A tall caramel latte please” she orders as always and Somin nods as she gets about to making the drink. 

She sneaks a glance at Jiwoo as her coffee brews. Jiwoo is on her phone, occasionally smiling at a funny text she assumes and oblivious to the world around her. Her long manicured nails make a clicking sound as she taps away on her phone. It’s a sign of the warm weather that Jiwoo has traded in her trademark black and bling to a soft light brown sweater on black jeans. The combination looks heavenly on her.

“Have a nice day” Somin says, handing over the drink to Jiwoo who smiles at her in reply.

Someday, she will pick up the courage to say more to Jiwoo. For now she sticks to drawing odd doodles next to her name on her cup and trying not to shiver as she thinks of Jiwoo smiling at her.

In an alternate universe, Somin does tell her that she likes her new sweater. Jiwoo blushes and thanks her. When she comes in the next day, Jiwoo compliments Somin’s nail art and asks about how it must be difficult to make coffee and maintain them. Somin tells her the secret to maintaining nails with heavy duty work and the two of them get closer with every conversation they have.

In this universe, Somin goes home and is so exhausted that she falls asleep. She misses the podcast entirely and hence misses the epiphany that the voice behind the podcast is the same as the one that orders a caramel latte without fail every Friday.

**Author's Note:**

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